A cool wind blew through the green fields on the outskirts of Morens under blue springtime skies. The road that cut through the middle of those fields, as well as the town to which it led, had never been particularly busy, except maybe at harvest time. Today, however, four sets of feet wearing well-used boots marched up the dusty gravel path. A young man in his early 20's and three young women strode wearily toward the town of sheds and huts. As they passed through town, the people, farmers primarily, stared in awe and fright at them. Their cloaks and the man's staff revealed them right away as magicians of various disciplines. The company paid no mind to the stares, since they were used to it by now. They had been traveling for over a year, after all, and had been through most of the towns on the continent. Morens was not the first town to greet them this way, and they had no reason to suspect it would be the last. The four entered a clean-looking tavern and sat at the bar.

"Can I help you?", the bartender asked suspiciously, but while taking care not to sound dismissive of them. Insulting mages is risky enough but to a businessman, offending paying customers may be worse.

The man beckoned him closer, and the bartender leaned forward, hesitantly. The man's black blindfold hid his eyes, making his intentions that much harder to guess.

"We're looking for someone," the man whispered. "A man who goes by the name of Aktheus."

"Aktheus, the preacher? What business have you with him?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me. Where is he?"

"Hmph! Aktheus is a kind, gentle man who brings our town the light of our Lady, Utoness! If you wish to harm him, you must go through me first!"

The man smirked maliciously. "Admirable. But you don't know what you're saying. Your loyalty to your townsmen will seal your fate if you continue it. Tell me where he is, or face the wrath of...Stradi, the Genocidal."

The bartender dropped the stein he was washing, the sound of the wooden cup on the floor clear though the sudden hush that filled the room. "You...you're Stradi, the.....oh, please, forgive me, I beg you!"

"Tell me where to find Aktheus, and I may."

"The church up the road! He's there, I swear it! Please, don't destroy the town!"

"One more thing."

"Anything!"

"Four steins of water, please."

"W-water? I'll bring you my finest wine, if you'd prefer it. Free of charge, of course!"

"Water," the man repeated, less patiently.

The bartender wondered why this man, an infamous weilder of dark magic would ask for water, and ask for it politely. But he retrieved it immediately. Everyone there was relieved when the four finished their drinks and left the bar without burning their souls or committing some other atrocity.

"Isn't this Stradi routine getting old, Sagus?" One of the young girls, the one cloaked in gray, asked the man. The man smiled and winked at her, the latter gesture going unseen.

"Aw, c'mon, cut me some slack! It worked, didn't it?" The girl said nothing.